STANFORD -- The University of San Francisco men's tennis team faced the George Washington Colonials on Saturday, Jan. 20 at the Taube Tennis Center for its first match of the season. After a strong battle between the two teams in a clinch/clinch format, the Dons took a 4-0 win over the Colonials.

"The George Washington team is well coached and fought hard," said head coach Pablo Pires de Almeida. "We were able to convert on some big deuce points that got us the first point of the match. Ryan Marker and Paul Giraud came from 4-1 down to take their match 6-4. Our momentum continued into the singles and we were able to push a little harder to come out with the win."
Mert Zincirli and Johan Joenhagen started the meet with a 6-3 doubles match win against George Washington. Continuing in the doubles, Lucas Marinelli and Oliver Poysti's match went undecide at 5-4, but Paul Giraud and Ryan Marker finished with a 6-4 win.

After an undecided singles match for Joenhagne (6-2, 4-4), Zincirli posted the first win of singles at 6-2, 6-2. Two more undecided matches came from Poysti (6-4, 5-1) and Giraud (7-6(4), 1-2), but Marker (6-4, 4-0, 5-0) and Marinelli (6-1, 6-1) both dominated their matches and the game came to a 4-0 end.

"Great start to the season," Almeida said. "Thanks to Stanford staff and coaches for letting us play at their facility."

Doubles

1. Zincirli/Joenhagen def. Chris Reynolds/Jakub Behun; 6-3
2. Marinelli/Poysti vs. William Tutecky/Christos Hadjigeorgiou; undecided 5-4
3. Giraud/Marker def. Dennis Afanasev/Amlan Sahoo; 6-4

1. Joenhagen vs. Tutecky; undecided 6-2, 4-4
2. Zincirli def. Reynolds; 6-2, 6-2
3. Poysti vs. Hadjigeorgiou; undecided 6-4, 5-1
4. Marker def. Afanasev; 6-4, 4-0, 5-0
5. Giraud vs. Behun; undecided 7-6(4), 1-2
6. Marinelli def. Sahoo; 6-1, 6-1

 
UP NEXT
The Dons will make their way to Tucson for a matchup against the University of Arizona Wildcats on Friday, Jan. 26-27 at the Lanelle Robson Tennis Center. Match time is at 12 p.m. MST.